Hemp ant



lll I l|||||||||| will! NFEIERS, PHOYD-UTHOGRAPMEH, WASHINGTON. u. C.

SAMUEL COUILLARD, JR., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS;

I-IEMP AND FLAX ROVING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 57', dated October 19', 1836.

To all who/m, it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL COUILLARD, Jr., of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, machinist, have invented, made, constructed, and applied to use a new and useful improvement in the art of combining and separating the fibers of flax, hemp, and Manila grass and forming the same into roving, which specify as follows-that is' to say, for the explanation and understanding of my said invention and improvement reference is to be had to the drawings and plans hereto annexed, which are t'o be taken and considered as a part of this my specification. v

Plate numbered one, is ak front view of the machine, plate numbered two,ris a back view of the same machine, plate numbered three, is a side view'of the same machine, and plate numbered four, is a vertical view of the same machine. The plans are drawn on a scale of two inches to the foot, and are intended to indicate the diderent sizes, and proportions of the different parts of the machine which are deemed best for operating with it upon the fibers of ordinary length to the greatest advantage.

The roman letter A, in the several plates indicates those parts, which belong to the frame of the machine.

B, designates what is denominated by me the fringe table on which the fibers hanging from the teeth in the fringe belt hereinafter mentioned in the form of a fringe rest, while the wipers act upon them.

The letter a, on plates l and 2, respectively indicates the drawing pulley to the main shaft indicated by on plates l, 2 and 3.

C, on plate 2, indicates kan endless screw upon the main shaft which acts on the pinion CZ, Plate l, which pinion moves horizontally with a vertical shaft, Plates l, and 2, turning in boxes, and connected with a fixed pulley at its upper end, which pulley revolves horizontally with the shaft, and gives motion to an endless belt z, Plates 1, 2, and 3, which I denominate the fringe belt, which belt passes around another pulley f, Plate et, at the opposite side of the frame of the same size with itself, and on the same level, and moving horizontally by the friction of the belt. In this belt pointed steel, or metallic teeth, steelis preferable, are set or fixed vertically of such size, and

at such distances from each other as the quality of the fiber to becombed may in the discretion of the operator require. For ax the fibers of which are of ordinary length, I prefer that they should be about 'oneeighth of an inch in diameter at the lower end, and taper to a point in the form of a common tailors needle, and be about one and a half inches above the edge of the belt a, and about one-fourth of an inch apart from each other; and for hemp, or Manila grass' thel said teeth should be about one-third larger, and about three-eighths of an inch from each other. The dimensions first above mentioned however will serve even for hemp and Manila grass, but larger teeth are deemed vbetter in this case when the fibers are brittle. Different belts with teeth of different sizes to be changed one for the other according to the different kind of fibers to be operated upon may be used with advantage. This belt e, consists of two thicknesses of stout harness leather, between are inserted, and are held Vthereby the leather being glued together between them. This is deemed the most convenient, and

best way of making the fringe belt withv teeth, but the belt as it is obvious may be made of various other materials, and the teeth may be secured therein by various means which it is deemed unnecessary to describe.

Beyond the frame at the opposite end upon the main shaft near its end is fixed a pulley around which a belt z', plates 3, and 4, passes which gives motion to another pulley c, plates 3, and t, fixed to the shaft of the large cylinder which I denominate the combining cylinder designated by Z, in each plate, this cylinder Z, moves vertically, and its Lipper surface moves down toward the revolving belt a, with teeth in it aforesaid when the machine is in operation, upon-,the cylinder are set steel, or metal straight teeth in rows in a right line with its shaft quitev across the cylinder in pieces of wood introduced by m, in all the plates, extendingv across the cylinder, and attached to it; from, and above which pieces of wood the teeth project about one half of an inch upward, these teeth are to be about the same lsize as those in the revolving belt e, and about the vsame distance apart from each other having regard always to the length of.: the fibers to be operated upon as before mentioned. There should be about six of those rows of ico upright teeth, being about a foot, and 'a half from each other upon a cylinder of three feet in diameter for flax, but the diameter of the cylinder may advantageously be larger, and the rows of upright teeth farther apart for longer fibers, although the above specified dimensions will answer for hemp, and Manila grass of ordinary length. And in all cases the diameter of the cylinder, and distance of these teeth from each other should be adapted to the length of the fiber to be Aoperated upon, and the roving to. be produced. For combining fiax or hemp for fine thread these teeth should be fixed gradually lnearer together from the outer end. of the cylinder Z, where they should be farthest apart to the inner end where they should be nearest together, so as to have them about three eighths of an inch at one end, and one eighth of an Vinch at the other, in order that the fibers after they are lodged upon the revolving belt z, as `they pass along by the cylinder Z, may be first combed by the teeth on the cylinder which are farthest apart, and that the teeth nearer together may act upon the fibers on said belt upon which the coarser teeth have already acted. By this means the longer fibers are more easily separated from the shorter fibers, and the fibers connected together are more eectually split, and separated from each other, and made more even, and equal in size. But in combining hemp, and other like fibraceous substances for rope yarn, and such like purposes it is better to have these teeth farther apart from each other so that the fibers may not be so much cut up 0r broken. These teeth may be fixed in the cylinder Z, instead of being fixed in such pieces of wood to be attached to the cylinder, but it is more convenient to have them fixed in such pieces of wood in order that they may whenever occasion may re-v quire it, be removed with the pieces of wood from the cylinder, with pleasure, and other teeth nearer together, or farther apart be placed in their stead according to the length, and kind of fiber to be operated upon, and the kind of roving intended to be made. n, plates 2, 3, 4, indicates a wire brush, or small wire teeth xed on leather, and attached to a piece of wood extending across the cylinder Z, close to the pieces of wood upon which the straight, and upright teeth aforesaid are fixed, the inner end of these pieces of wood, on which the brushes are, projects about two inches beyond the cylinder Z, so as in its revolution to come in contact with, and be operated upon by a comb.

The teeth of these brushes are about the same size as ordinary card teeth, and are xed in the leather in the same way, but the teeth are bent to an angle of forty five degrees opposite to the directions of the motion of the cylinder Z. The number of these brushes on pieces of wood is equal to the number of rows of upright large teeth near which they are respectively placed. The surfaces, or tops of these brushes are, excepting when acted upon, and moved up by the comb-as hereinafter mentioned on a level with the top of the pieces of wood in which the rows of the upright teeth are placed. The pieces of wood to which these brushes are attached have slots made diagonally one near each end through which pass screws, or pins with heads fixed in the other pieces of wood in which are the upright teeth so that when the projecting ends 0, plates l, 2, 4, pass by the stationary comb, 29, plates l, 4, each brush is when acted upon by this combthereby raised a vlittle above the top .of the upright teeth aforesaid, and so remains until it passes down by, and near to the points of the teeth on the endless belt e, when having passed the comb it returns to its former position being drawn down by means of a spring g, plates 2, 4. The points of the upright teeth, and surface of the cards pass as near as may be and not touch to the teeth on the revolving fringe belt e, so as to lodge the fibers upon its teeth, and comb them when lodged there. Those which are not lodged at first. pass around the cylinder, and are lodged afterward. Underneath the combing cylinder is a curved piece of metal, or wood 7c3, plate 3, forming the same curve described by the points of the fixed teeth in revolving, and being as near as may be, but not quite in contact with them of the width of the frame, and covering nearly the lower half of the cylinder for preventing the fibers from falling out of the teeth when they come underneath by the revolution of the cylinder.

The pulley indicated by t, on all the plates fixed on the outer end of the main shaft b, by means of a belt passing over it, and the pulley s, on all the plates fixed upon the end of the shaft t, plates 2, 3, 4 of a metallic fluted draw roller gives motion to that roller which turns in boxes fixed in parts of the frame. Immediately above the fiuted roller is another roller covered with .leather so adjusted to the fiuted roller as to press closely upon, and be turned by it when it revolves. Inside of the pulley s, upon the shaft t, is fixed a small pinion which acts upon a wheel u, Plate 3, upon the inside of which is another pinion acting upon a pinion fixed to the pulley Q1, Plates 3 and 4, from which a belt passes over the pulley w, Plates 8 and 4. This gearing is only used when it is required to produce a slow motion in the pulley fw, and in ordinary cases a belt passing from the shaft t, to the pulley fw, is substitutedV for it in order to give motion to the pulley fw. The

pulley fw, is fixed upon the shaft y, Plates 3, and 4, of a cylindrical roller inside the frame over whichv passes a feedin belt of leather indicated by a, Plate 4, w ich also passes over another cylinder roller of the same size, and on the same level inside of the frame, turned by the friction of the feeding belt operated upon by the motion of 4the other roller, and near to theliuted rollers aboye mentioned. Across this belt about two inches apart there should be rows of teeth, of about the same size as those in the endless fringe belt a, and about half an inch from each other. The teeth may be fixed in this belt, or which is better in pieces of wood attached to it, so that they may be changed for others larger, orv smaller, and further apart, or nearer together so as to be adapted to the kind of fibers to be ojo-'Y The cylinders over which erated upon. this endless feeding belt a, passes are so placed that the feeding belt in revolving brings the center of the teeth between the points, and the bottoms thereof successively level with the upper surface of the iluted draw roller, and so that these teeth may just pass by the same fiuted roller as near as may be, and not touch it. The points of these teeth should be bent on a curve a little backward from the draw rollers. The upper surface of the Vfeeding` belt when the machine is in motion is moved by the act-ion of the belt on the pulley w, toward the fluted draw roller. Rod cylinders as I denominate them indicated by a2, Plates 2, 3, and 4, fixed to shafts, and revolving in boxes in the frame, are so placed above the feeding belt, and adjusted as to be moved by the teeth set in rows as aforesaid across the belt by means of the rows of teeth successively meshing in between the rods, while the belt is revolving; these rod cylinders serve to keep the fibrous substance to be operated upon from rising out of the teeth too soon while drawn by the teeth toward the draw rollers. Large wires, or rods o-n one side of the revolving feeding belt are laid between the teeth, and are fixed at one end on the frame, and at the other on the iluted draw roller for the purpose of conducting the. ends of the fibers gradually up as on an inclined plane from the teeth to t-he draw rollers. A brush Z22, Plates 3, and 4, is moved by a belt from a groove on the inside of the pulley w, to keep the covered upper draw roller from being clogged byv the fibrous substance. A pulley (Z2, Plates 1 and 2, is fixed on the main shaft b, next to the endless screw over which a belt passes to, and over, and gives motion to a pulley 02, Plates 1 and 2, upon a perpendicular shaft f2, Plate 2, on the upper end of which is the first draw roller a2, Plate 4, against which the draw roller h2, Plate 4, is pressed by a spring over a pulley onk the main shaft next that last mentioned passes a belt, which also passes over, and gives motion to the pulley e2, fixed on the `perpendicular shaft of the second draw roller 7a2, Plate 4, which has a like vroller o2, Plates 8, 4,' pressed against by a spring. On the shaft of the second draw ,roller below the pulley before mentioned is fixed another pulley m2, Plate 1, over which passes a belt to, and over, and gives'motiontoa pulley n2, fixed on a perpendicularv shaft 02 Plate 1, which shaft passes 'up to a pulley ,'02, Plates 1, 2,'and 4, fixed -supon it. A belt g, Plates 1, 2, and 4, passes around, and is moved by this pulley, and passes around, and gives motion to another pulley rz, Plates 1, 2, and 4, somewhat smaller than that last mentioned, and of the same size with the pulleys around which the teethed fringed belt a, passes. On thisbelt ,92, are fixed steel, or metallic wires s2,

Plates 1, v2, 3, and 4, (steel kbeing preferred) for the purpose of bringing the fibers into such position, while passing along the fringe table -lodged in the teeth of the fringe belt a, as to direct the ends of them forward toward the draw rollers, that they may be seized, and drawn out by these rollers.

A plate of iron is put upon the frame above the place where the brous substance is made to pass when it approaches near to the draw rollers having slots wz, co2,

Plate 4, through which the wipers pass for the purpose of directing the ends of the fibers just before coming to the rollers, and so made, and adjustedfas that the wipers may be raised by, and pass over the metallic plate, and be thereby prevented from acting upon the fibers just at the time when the fibers come to the draw rollers so as to prevent their crushing Lthe fibers from the draw rollers. Inclined planes of thin smooth metal o2, Plates 1, and 4, one on each side of the teeth, beginning at the base of the teeth therein near the last draw roller, and inclining upward in the direction of the mof tion vof the belt until they rise above the teeth in the toot-hed revolving fringe belt, and fixed so as to take off the short fibers, or tow not taken off by the draw rollers, and remaining on these teeth. OnV the main shaft is another pulley m2, Plates 1, and 3,

next to the frame on the inside over which a belt passes to give motion to the shaft 002,

Plates 1, and 3. Upon the opposite end of this shaft beyond the frame is a pulley z2, Plate 1. Upon this shaft over which a belt as, Plates 1, and 4,- pa'sses to, and over, and gives mot-ion to the pulleys b3, Plates 1, and 4,r to give motion to the leading roller 03, Plates 1, and 4, to draw, and bring the roving through the revolving tubes. Two rollers d3, Plates 1, and 4, are adjusted to bear upon this leading roller, and to revolve by its friction for the purpose of drawing and leading the roving through, and from the revolving tubes into the can. On Vthe opposite end of the shaft wz, is a pulley e3, Plates 1 and 3, over which a belt passes to give motion to the pulley f3, Plates l, 3, and 4, which gives motion to a like leading roller g3, Plates l, and 4, which has two rollers h3, Plates l and t, for a like purposeof drawing, leading, and conducting the second roving into the can. 3, 3, are revolving tubes with hooks for the purpose of condensing the roving into a more compact form, which revolving tubes are moved by belts over the pulleys 703, 3, Plate l, on the shaft m2. Y

When the machine is put in motion, and adapted to the particular fibrous substance to be operated upon, the fibrous substance may either be laid on the feeding belt by hand, or may be more conveniently formed into a bat, and wound upon a reel, and fed from that upon the leather belt upon the wires, or rods c2, occupying about one third of its width in ordinary cases. The width of the belt is calculated for receiving the fibrous substance on the whole width of it, when it is intended to make coarse threads for bag yarn, and similar sizes, in which case the rods must be laid as aforesaid over the whole width of the belt. The fibrous substance when fed upon the belt, while the machine is in motion first comes in contact with the teeth in the feeding belt, and these fibers are carried along under the rod cylinders moved by the teeth which serve to keep them down as aforesaid, and thence they are carried along the rods, and up between the draw rollers which serve to draw them from the teeth in the pieces of wood on the feeding belt in a thinner form, and conduct vthem to the combing cylinder Z, by which they are received, and carried along in the fixed teeth on said cylinder which in revolving carries them down and fromv time to time lodges them on the teeth o-f the revolving fringe belt e, Yafter they have been raised by the card teeth in manner aforesaid to the bevel of the points of the fixed teeth on the said cylinder Z, and when the fibers are on the teeth of the fringe belt they are combed as aforesaid as they pass along by the cylinder e. Having passed by the cylinder they are carried along, hooked on the teeth of the revolving belt z, hanging down, and appearing like a fringe, and are wiped by the wipers s2, on the revolving belt 92, so as to present the ends of the fibers foremost, and bring them within the reach of the draw rollers for drawing out the roving 22 L2,2, Z2,

' the wipers being raised from the fringe table vsuccessively by the metallic plate under which the fibers pass just before the wipers reach the draw rollers so that the wipers may not brush away the bers from the draw rollers. The draw rollers are placed at different distances from the revolving fringe belt e. The first being farthest, and the other or others if it be thought proper to have mcrerthan two sets of draw rollers being placed successively nearer to said belt, so that the longest fibers may be t-aken into the rst draw rollers farthest fromrsaid belt, and the shorter remaining fibers which do not reach the first drawer rollers, into the neXt draw rollers, and the still shorter fibers which do not reach the latter, into the neXt draw rollers, if more than two sets are used. Each set of draw rollers takes all the fibers which reach them. As many sets of draw rollers may be used for this purpose as occasion may require. From the draw rollers e2, 71.2, 7c3, Z2 the fibers are conducted through the revolving 3, 3, into the cans. The short fibers, and those entangled are carried to the inclined metallic planes, and thereby taken from the teeth on the belt which are thus cleared, and pass around the cylinder Z, to receive more fibers therefrom to be combed, and brought around in manner aforesaid to the draw rollers to be formed into roving. It will be well to have each set of draw rollers after the first set, successively smaller than the first set, or if of the same size to have them revolve slower as they are respectively nearer to the fringe belt, in order to make the roving as near as may be of the same size.

What I claim as my new improvement is l. The combing cylinder above described in connection with the revolving toothed fringed belt aforesaid for the purposes herein before mentioned.

2. The inclined planes on both the sides of revolving toothed fringe belt in connection, and combination with said fringe belt for the purpose aforesaid.

In testimony that the above is a true specification of my said invention, and improvement, I have hereto set my hand this eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred, and thirty-six.

SAMUEL COUILLARD, Jn.

Witnesses:

A. H. Fiske, JOHN WV. PARKER. 

